Aggression between cats in multi-cat households is among the most common welfare problems for companion cats. Understanding feline social structure helps owners create environments where cats can coexist with less stress.
Many multi-cat households have chronic low-level conflict that owners do not recognize. Cats that appear to coexist peacefully may actually be in a state of mutual avoidance under stress. Signs of problems include one cat blocking access to resources, staring and stalking, inappropriate elimination, and changes in eating or grooming habits. Welfare improvements focus on increasing resources and reducing competition: multiple feeding stations, many litter boxes in different locations, vertical space for escape, and separate resting areas. Introducing cats slowly with scent swapping reduces conflict in new pairings.